Spring-padding for vehicle-tops.



No. 7:4,l90. Patentd Nov 25, I902. R. A. KELLER. SPRING PADDING FUR VEHICLE TOPS.

(Application filed June 14, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. KELLER, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

SPRING-PADDING FOR VEHICLE-TOPS.

,SPECIFIGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 714,190, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed June 14,1902. Serial No. 111,686. (No modelf! To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. KELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Padding for Vehicle-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a series of double springs united by strips of Webbing or the like to be attached to the curvatures on the outside faces of vehicle-bows.

The invention has for its object the provision of springpaddings for vehicle-tops, whereby the weatherproof textile or leather covering of the vehicle-top will be retained taut and slightly distended even after long usage in its position.

Another object is to provide spring-padding for vehicle-tops which can easily and quickly be secured in position on the vehicle-bows nowin general use and when attached will be neat and attractive in appearance, light, strong, and durable in construction and greatly improve the appearance of the vehicle-top on which they are used; and still another object is the provision of a new article of manufacture in spring-'paddings for vehicle-tops which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following specification and from the drawings forming a part thereof.

With the above-enumerated objects in view my invention consists in spring-padding for vehicle-tops embodying certain novel and peculiar features of construction and details thereof, as herein shown and described, and pointed out in the claims.

In detail the invention relates to springpadding for vehicle-tops, substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the framework of a vehicle-top, showing my invention attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of one of the series and showing the elevation of one of the members of my invention.

Similar letters and figures of reference denote and refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to the drawings, 1, 2, and 3 represent the bows of a vehicle-top arranged in their relative positions with reference to each other.

A represents a flat metal spring provided with holes therethrough near each end thereof.

B represents a flat metal spring provided with holes therethrough near each end thereof and also two holes therethrough near the center thereof. The spring B is somewhat longer than the spring A, and the respective end holes of the springs A and B are in alinement with each other when the two springs are in substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, and the two'springs are adapted to be united by the rivets a, and d.

' By the above arrangement it is apparent that the spring A will prevent the spring B from straightening out, but will cause it to retain its curved position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The springs A and B are arranged in pairs and are united by the strips of webbing O, D, and E. The strips of Webbing D and E are secured by the rivets a and clbetween the respective ends of the springs A and B, and the strip of webbing C is secured to the springB by the rivets b and c.

The strips of webbing O, D, and E are secured at right angles to the springs A and B and are of a length sufficient to extend between the greatest distance between the bows 1 and 3, to which they are to be secured, one on each curvature thereof, as shown in Fig.

1, and the springs, arranged as shown in Fig. I

2, are secured at frequent intervals along said strips of webbing, substantially as shown in Fig. 1.

After the two series of strips of webbing and springs attached thereto have been sebrought together between the bows when the top is folded.

From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that I have produced a springpadding for vehicle-tops embodying new and novel features and have also accomplished the objects stated above, and I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the exact details of construction, but hold that any slight changes in such details as would suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic will clearly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having now fully shown and described my invention and the best mode for its construction and use to me known at this time, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A-spring-padding for vehicle-tops the combination of a flat spring member A secured at its ends by rivets a, and d to a relatively longer curved flat spring member B, of the webbing D and E secured between the ends of the spring members A and B and at right angles thereto by the rivets a and d, of

thewebbing C secured to the center of the spring B by the rivets b and c of the webbings O, D, and E secured to the curvatures of vehicle-bows and extending from the front to the rear bows of. the vehicle and carrying a series of spring members A and B, all substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. A spring-padding for vehicle-tops the combination of a'fiat spring member A secured at its ends to a relatively longer curved flat spring member B, of a plurality of spring members thus formed secured at frequent intervals to a plurality of strips of webbing, all substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

3. A spring-padding for vehicle-tops, in combination with strips of webbing secured along the curvatures of a vehicle-top from the front to the rear thereof and a curved spring member B secured to the strips of webbing at right angles thereto, of the spring member A secured at its ends to the ends of the curved spring member B and to the strips of webbing D and E, all substantially as shown and for the purposes set forth.

4. A spring-padding for vehicle-tops consisting of a series of flat spring members A secured at their ends to the ends of longer spring members B and both carried by a plurality of strips of webbing extending from the front to the rear vehicle-bows along the on rvatures thereof, all substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT A. KELLER.

Witnesses:

R. E. RANDLE, BEATRICE HEARN. 

